• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.295-305
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• 2004

After the Rio declaration on environment and development in 1992, developed countries are undertaking "environmentally sustainable transportation (EST)" projects. To meet the needs for EST, current transportation policies in Korea are rapidly reforming and one of its concerns is modernizing and upgrading railway freight system. Planning new railroad construction projects is increasing and subsequent environmental impact assessment (EIA) demands improvements, especially in both the EIA and decision making systems. In this paper, we discuss the present status of EIA for railroad construction projects, especially, by analyzing the EIA documents for the last six years. The EIA for railroad construction projects accounts for only 4.9% of total 918 project EIAs during 1998-2003, and the portion is gradually increasing. Major environmental concerns for EIA in railroad construction projects were geomorphological and ecological changes, protection of rare organisms, air pollution, water pollution, waste management, and noise, etc. We compared characteristics of environmental impacts of railroad construction with those of vehicle road construction, based on environmental and construction-planning indicators appeared in Environmental Impact Statements. Railroad construction usually requires longer tunnels and bridges for a given length than those for vehicle road construction. In addition, the amounts of geomorphological and ecological changes (road-cutting, embankment, devegetation, etc.) in railroad construction were generally less than 50% of those in vehicle road construction. To develop environmentally friendly railway systems, monitoring studies for environmental impacts of railroads such as habitat fragmentation and road kills, dispersal of alien plants, tunnelling effects on groundwater and vegetation, and noise impacts are highly recommended.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.13-30
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• 2020

This study aims to analyze the qualitative and quantitative effects of environmental policies in terms of green space management using logistic regression model(LRM). Landsat satellite imageries in 1985, 1992, 2000, 2008, and 2015 are classified using a hybrid-classification method. Based on these classified maps, logistic regression model having a deforestation tendency of the past is built. Binary green space change map is used for the dependent variable and four explanatory variables are used: distance from green space, distance from settlements, elevation, and slope. The green space map of 2008 and 2015 is predicted using the constructed model. The conservation effect of Ulsan's environmental policies is quantified through the numerical comparison of green area between the predicted and real data. Time-series analysis of green space showed that restoration and destruction of green space are highly related to human activities rather than natural land transition. The effect of green space management policy was spatially-explicit and brought a significant increase in green space. Furthermore, as a result of quantitative analysis, Ulsan's environmental policy had effects of conserving and restoring 111.75㎢ and 175.45㎢ respectively for the periods of eight and fifteen years. Among four variables, slope was the most determinant factor that accounts for the destruction of green space in the city. This study presents logistic regression model as a way of evaluating the effect of environmental policies that have been practiced in the city. It has its significance in that it allows us a comprehensive understanding of the effect by considering every direct and indirect effect from other domains, such as air and water, on green space. We conclude discussing practicability of implementing environmental policy in terms of green space management with the focus on a non-statutory plan.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.466-477
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• 2007

To understand particle pollution phenomena caused by vehicles, black carbon (BC) concentrations were continuously monitored using an aethalometer at a roadside in Seoul during the period of May 79 to 25, 2005. The BC concentration was highly fluctuated for a short duration, responding to the traffic situation on the road. The lowest BC concentration was observed between 2 and 5 a.m. The local highest BC concentrations were observed during the periods of both morning and evening rush hours. Change in traffic volume accounts for the trend of hourly averaged BC concentrations from the late evening to the morning. Particularly, the slower increase of BC concentration on Sunday seems to respond directly the lower traffic volume in the morning rush hours. From the comparison with a previous work, it is concluded that the BC concentration around midday hours might be dependent on the distance from a road.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.17 no.3_4
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• pp.357-378
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• 2004

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of a reinforced concrete (RC) frame under earthquake loading is performed in this paper on the basis of a hysteretic moment-curvature relation. Unlike previous analytical moment-curvature relations which take into account the flexural deformation only with the perfect-bond assumption, by introducing an equivalent flexural stiffness, the proposed relation considers the rigid-body-motion due to anchorage slip at the fixed end, which accounts for more than 50% of the total deformation. The advantage of the proposed relation, compared with both the layered section approach and the multi-component model, may be the ease of its application to a complex structure composed of many elements and on the reduction in calculation time and memory space. Describing the structural response more exactly becomes possible through the use of curved unloading and reloading branches inferred from the stress-strain relation of steel and consideration of the pinching effect caused by axial force. Finally, the applicability of the proposed model to the nonlinear dynamic analysis of RC structures is established through correlation studies between analytical and experimental results.

• Clean Technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.60-67
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• 1998

As workers' health and welfare are becoming increasingly important, there are needs for protecting workers from being exposed to dust particles in workplace. One of the simplest ways to protect workers is to wear a one-time-use mask of the 3M type. Although conventional masks are convenient to use, they provide low filtration efficiency simply because of air leaks through interface between the face and the mask. In this study, a new type of mask is developed and tested. The air which is filtered first using high efficiency particulate air(HEPA) filter is supplied to the nose area of workers' face. The developed mask was tested for filtration efficiency and for workers' acceptance. Very good results were obtained for both accounts.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.341-344
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• 2005

The expression of the glutathione S-transferase (GST), whose induction accounts for antioxidant defense system, is regulated by activation of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\beta}$ ($C/EBP{\beta}$), Sick house syndrome (SHS) presents healthy damage owing to the indoor environment of a building. Toluene has been implicated in one of the important causes of SHS. The present study investigated the effects of toluene treatment on the induction of GSTA2 gene and its mechanism. H411E cells treated with toluene, and GSTA2 expression was determined by immunoblot analysis. The translocation of $C/EBP{\beta}$ was assessed by immunocytochemical assays. $C/EBP{\beta}$ DNA binding activity was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. The role of the C/EBP binding site in the induction of the GSTA2 gene was assessed by luciferase reporter-gene activity. Toluene induced GSTA2 protein expression. In toluene-treated cells, $C/EBP{\beta}$ translocated to the nucleus and bound to the consensus sequence of C/EBP (TTGCGCAA). Toluene treatment increased luciferase reporter-gene activity in cells transfected with the C/EBP-containing regulatory region of the GSTA2 gene. Oxidative stress is believed to play an important role in the induction of GSTA2 gene by toluene This study shows that toluene-induced GSTA2 gene expression is dependent upon nuclear translocation and binding of $C/EBP{\beta}$ to the C/EBP response element in the GSTA2 gene promoter.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.465-471
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• 2010

This study aims to investigate the relationship between air pollution exposure and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in a young population in the Ulsan metropolitan region (UMR). Data on physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (past 12 months) in 1,449 infants and children aged 1-18 years who lived within 1.5 or 2 km of air quality monitoring sites were collected in a cross-sectional health interview survey conducted between January-February 2006 in the UMR. Comparisons of the spatial distribution of the prevalence rates for allergic rhinitis and annual average pollutant concentrations over the region showed that a relatively high prevalence rate occurred around the coastal industrial area, with high PM10 concentrations. A linear correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation relationship between them (R = 0.680, p = 0.04). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the combined effect of the PM10 and $SO_2$ variables accounts for approximately 81% of the variance (R-square: 0.81) in the prevalence rate. From the multiple logistic regression analysis after adjustment by age, sex, and air-pollutant factors, the PM10 and $SO_2$ which were mainly from industrialrelated emissions were found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of allergic rhinitis (aOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.15-2.70 for PM10 ; aOR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.12-2.35 for SO2).

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.315-322
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• 2011

Objectives: Organic matter and nitrogen were removed using the EGSB process, a high-rate anaerobic process, in combination with a nitritation-denitritation process, in order to ensure the stable treatment of seafood processing wastewater. Methods: The upflow velocity of an EGGS reactor was operated at 10 m/hr for maximal organics removal efficiency. For removal of nitrogen from seafood processing wastewater a nitritation-denitriation process was applied Results: The efficiency of the EGSB process showed that it has an 80% or more organic matter (CODcr) removal efficiency with an HRT of six hours or more at influent loadings of 17.34 kgCOD/$m^3$/day or less. The methane product for TCODcr removal was 0.23-0.38 $m^3CH_4$/kgCODrem., which was similar to the theoretical generation of STP-state methane, 0.35 $m^3CH_4$/kgTCODrem. In the nitritation-denitritation process, the nitritation conversion rate to $NH_4^+$-N concentration was 82% to 87%, 72% to 81% and 64% to 69% when HRT was 24 hr, 21 hr and 18 hr, respectively. In the denitritation process, the ratio of SCOD consumption to NOx-N removal ranged from 2.347 to 2.587. It was 2.472 on average. Conclusions: The optimal HRT for stable processing of seafood processing wastewater is six hours or more. The ratio of nitrite to total NOx-N was 82% to 96%, which indicates that nitrite accounts for the largest portion of the product.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.34.1-34.8
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• 2023

Background: Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic substance that humans can be exposed to occupationally, and cases of hydrogen sulfide poisoning of workers in industrial sites are commonly reported. However, there have been no cases of poisoning of the public due to an unauthorized discharge of wastewater, so it is important to describe this incident. Case presentation: In a small village in Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea, accounts of a terrible stench had been reported. A 26-year-old man who lived and worked in a foul-smelling area was taken to the emergency room with a headache, dizziness, nausea, and repeated syncope. A subsequent police and Ministry of Environment investigation determined that the cause of the stench was the unauthorized discharge of 9 tons of wastewater containing hydrogen sulfide through a stormwater pipe while the villagers were sleeping. The patient had no previous medical history or experience of symptoms. Leukocytes and cardiac markers were elevated, an electrocardiogram indicated biatrial enlargement, left ventricular hypertrophy, and corrected QT interval prolongation. Myocardial hypertrophy was detected on a chest computed tomography scan, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was confirmed on echocardiography. After hospitalization, cardiac marker concentrations declined, symptoms improved, and the patient was discharged after 7 days of hospitalization. There was no recurrence of symptoms after discharge. Conclusions: We suspect that previously unrecognized heart disease manifested or was aggravated in this patient due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Attention should be paid to the possibility of unauthorized discharge of hydrogen sulfide, etc., in occasional local incidents and damage to public health. In the event of such an accident, it is necessary to have government guidelines in place to investigate health impact and follow-up clinical management of exposed residents.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.207-219
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to show the geographical distribution and the temporal variation of the emission amount of biogenic volatile organic compounds(BVOCs) emanated from forests at Jeju Island. The total emission amount of BVOCs calculated by using the CORINAIR Methodology is $3612ton\;yr^{-1}$ at Jeju Island. More than half of BVOCs emissions is come from coniferous forest, and 45 per cent from broad leaved forest. The others is attributed to grassland. Of total emission of BVOCs, isoprene accounts for 28 per cent, monoterpene for 32 per cent, and other VOCs for about 40 percent, respectively. It can be shown that $3000{\sim}10000kg\;yr^{-1}$ of BVOCs is emitted at the zone with dense forest from an altitude of 500 m to the top of Mt. Halla, and less than $1500kg\;yr^{-1}$ at the zone an altitude of below 500 meters. The monoterpene emission is more than $1500kg\;yr^{-1}$ due to the existence of a colony of Abies koreana at the place with more than 1500 meters and a community of Pinus thunbergii and Cryptomeria japonica at the elevation of 500~700 m. In the case of isoprene emission, there is $1500{\sim}3000kg\;yr^{-1}$ at the zone of an elevation from 700 m to 1500 m due to dense broad leaved forest and very little of its emission at an elevation of more than 1500 meters because there is hardly broad leaved trees grown. In this study, emission of BVOCs according to the altitude above sea level is estimated under the situation of lack of the data for broad leaved tree. More detailed data and information for the distribution of broad leaved trees are needed in order to calculate more realistic BVOC emission.